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Herron School of Art and Design Indianapolis, Indiana University

Transforming Public Space Through Art and Partnership

Sep 29, 2026

The Transformative Public Sculpture Initiative is a collaborative public art and community-engaged research project led by faculty from the Herron School of Art + Design in partnership with Aspire House on Indianapolis’s Near Northwest side.

The initiative brings together faculty, undergraduate and graduate students, and community partners to design, fabricate, and install large-scale public sculptures that are helping shape a growing public art corridor while giving students hands-on experience in professional public art practice.

Throughout the project, students work as paid research assistants and studio assistants, participating in every stage of the creative process, from research, design development, and community engagement to fabrication, installation, and documentation.

Working alongside faculty mentors, students gained experience with ceramics, steel fabrication, concrete casting, mold making, and large-scale sculpture installation while building professional skills in collaboration, project management, and public art production.

The project also serves as a model for ethical, community-engaged practice by prioritizing long-term partnerships, shared decision-making, and neighborhood collaboration. Rather than creating artwork for a community, the initiative focuses on creating artwork with community partners, supporting broader goals of placekeeping, civic engagement, and public access to the arts.

Current grant activities include the fabrication and installation of monumental public sculptures, student research and mentorship, interdisciplinary collaboration, public programming, and documentation of the project’s outcomes.

The initiative also supports faculty research in public art, community engagement, and layered learning while creating meaningful opportunities for undergraduate research and experiential learning.

This work has been made possible through generous support from the Allen Whitehill Clowes Charitable Foundation and internal funding from Indiana University, including support from the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, the Arts & Humanities Institute, the Public Arts and Humanities Project, and the Herron School of Art + Design.

Aspire House

Open gallery

Sculpture at Aspire House
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Herron School of Art + Design

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